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Category Archives: Beginners/Elementary Level

12 Tips for Memorizing Piano Music

I’ll be the first one to admit: memorizing music does not come easily to me.  I really have to work at it, and it takes a lot of time.  Over the past couple of years, I have been reading and trying out everything I could find about memorizing music, and I’ve come up with a [...]
Also posted in Advanced Level, By Student's Level, Group Keyboard, Ideas, Improving as a Teacher, Intermediate Level, Memorization, Practicing, Recitals / Performances, Topics in Teaching Piano | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Free Board Game for Music Students

Just added to the Printables page: a free piano-bench-sized board game for music students, called Adventures in Music!  I am so thrilled to be offering this game on my website.  This is my first attempt at creating a music game for students, and I’m quite excited about the results. Here’s the lowdown: Designed for 2-4 players - [...]
Also posted in For During the Lesson, Games, Ideas, Intermediate Level, Music Theory, Other Resources, Printables, Studio Class / Group Lessons, Topics in Teaching Piano, piano camps | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Succeeding at the Piano | Method Books

The FJH Music Company website is introducing a new method series, available March 2010: Helen Marlais’ Succeeding at the Piano. I have heard some good things about the method, and am looking forward to trying it with a student once it comes out! Click here to view the page about it and to [...]
Also posted in Repertoire/Method Books | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Teacher Resources @ Clavier’s Piano Explorer site

Many piano teachers subscribe to Clavier magazine, and some even subscribe their students to Clavier’s Piano Explorer, the music magazine for kids.  I recently found out that their site contains some great resources for teaching about various composers and concepts in music history.  This month, there have some great resources about Beethoven, including: Links to YouTube recordings, organized [...]
Also posted in Advanced Level, By Student's Level, Ideas, Intermediate Level, Music History, Resources / Links, Studio Class / Group Lessons, piano camps | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Just Added! Lesson Plans: Analyzing & Composing Music in the Romantic Style

[This is a re-post of this post -- the files have now been added to the Printables portion of this website.  (Thanks, Natalie!) Sorry for any confusion.] Just added to the Printables > Lesson Plans page: Lesson Plans: Analyzing & Composing Music in the Romantic Style (also take a peek below) Also see the accompanying handouts here. A few [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, Composition, Intermediate Level, Music History, Music Theory, Other Resources, Printables, Studio Class / Group Lessons, What I'm Up To, Worksheets | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

New Piano Method: Piano Safari

I recently heard about a brand new piano method series, called Piano Safari, written by Katherine Fisher and Julie Knerr, both grads from University of Oklahoma’s excellent Piano Pedagogy program.  The series looks very intriguing.  I would like to try out the series the next time I get a new beginner student! The element that I find most unique [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, Repertoire/Method Books | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Just Added! Flashcards: Naming Notes (Middle C Position)

Just added to the Printables > Other Resources page: Flashcards: Naming Notes (Middle C Position) There are two pages in this file: Page 1: Contains 10 flashcards for reinforcing the notes of the Middle C position (i.e., Bass F through Treble G). Page 2: Contains the “answers” to the note name flashcards, to be printed onto the backside of Page 1. This [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, For During the Lesson, Ideas, Other Resources, Printables | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Just Added! Flashcards: Melodic Patterns 1 & 2

Just added to the Printables > Other Resources page: Flashcards: Melodic Patterns 1 Flashcards: Melodic Patterns 2 These flashcards (pictured at right) are my absolute favorite.  They have a variety of uses, mainly for beginner piano students: For beginner students who understand quarter and half note rhythms: Ask the student to simply clap the rhythm they see. For beginner students who are [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, For During the Lesson, Ideas, Other Resources, Printables | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Added: 4 New easy Christmas Arrangements

I know, I know, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, and I’m already talking about Christmas!  But since I’ve been updating my Printables page recently anyway, I went ahead and put up some easy Christmas piano arrangments too: Jingle Bells Joy To The World O Come All Ye Faithful We Wish You A Merry Christmas (See Printables > Sheet Music)  These [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Resources @ makingmusicfun.net

Have you seen makingmusicfun.net yet?  This site is full of free resources for both teachers and students.  All the materials available at Making Music Fun have super-cute graphics in an “under the sea” theme.   For teachers: Sheet music (both arranged and unarranged, organized by level) Composer worksheets Music achievement certificates Practice charts Manuscript paper Intervals worksheets and more! For kids: Music theory arcade games “Meet [...]
Also posted in Intermediate Level, Music Theory, Resources / Links, Technology, Topics in Teaching Piano | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment
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